Allocating a device to a container

Abstract

In one aspect, a method includes associating disk devices with containers based on a policy, allocating a disk device to a container based on the policy and allowing access to the disk device from the container. In another aspect, an apparatus includes electronic hardware circuitry configured to associate disk devices with containers based on a policy, allocate a disk device to a container based on the policy and allow access to the disk device from the container. In a further aspect, an article includes a non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores computer-executable instructions. The instructions cause a machine to associate disk devices with containers based on a policy, allocate a disk device to a container based on the policy and allow access to the disk device from the container.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 configuring an agent to be a system level agent operating in a high-privileged capacity having access to a disk device; 
 configuring the agent to implement an allocation state comprising an allocation of the disk device to a container for a node; 
 associating disk devices with containers based on a policy; 
 allocating the disk device to the container based on the policy; and 
 allowing access to the disk device from the container using the agent. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising performing a change of allocation between the containers and the disk devices when the number of the containers or the number of the disks devices changes. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein allowing access to the disk device from the container comprises allowing access to the disk device from the container using an agent in a commodity storage element. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , further comprising receiving the policy at the agent from a user interface. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  wherein allowing access to the disk device from the container includes changing an access control list for the disk device to allow the container to communicate with the disk device. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5  wherein the access control list determines which ones of the containers are allowed to communicate with which ones of the disk devices. 
     
     
       7. An apparatus, comprising:
 electronic hardware circuitry configured to:
 configure an agent to be a system level agent operating in a high-privileged capacity having access to a disk device; 
 configure the agent to implement an allocation state comprising an allocation of the disk device to a container for a node; 
 associate disk devices with containers based on a policy; 
 allocate the disk device to the container based on the policy; and 
 allow access to the disk device from the container using the agent. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the circuitry comprises at least one of a processor, a memory, a programmable logic device or a logic gate. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the circuitry configured to allow access to the disk device from the container comprises changing an access control list for the disk device to allow the container to communicate with the disk device. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the access control list determines which ones of the containers are allowed to communicate with which ones of the disk devices. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising circuitry configured to perform a change of allocation between the containers and the disk devices when the number of the containers or the number of the disks devices changes. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the circuitry configured to allow access to the disk device from the container comprises circuitry configured to allow access to the disk device from the container using the agent as an agent in a commodity storage element. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising circuitry configured to receive the policy at the agent from a user interface. 
     
     
       14. An article comprising:
 a non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores computer-executable instructions, the instructions causing a machine to:
 configure an agent to be a system level agent operating in a high-privileged capacity having access to a disk device; 
 configure the agent to implement an allocation state comprising an allocation of the disk device to a container for a node; 
 associate disk devices with containers based on a policy; 
 allocate the disk device to the container based on the policy; and 
 allow access to the disk device from the container using the agent. 
 
 
     
     
       15. The article of  claim 14 , wherein the instructions causing the machine to allow access to the disk device from the container comprises changing an access control list for the disk device to allow the container to communicate with the disk device. 
     
     
       16. The article of  claim 15 , wherein the access control list determines which ones of the containers are allowed to communicate with which ones of the disk devices. 
     
     
       17. The article of  claim 14 , further comprising instructions causing the machine to perform a change of allocation between the containers and the disk devices when the number of the containers or the number of the disks devices changes. 
     
     
       18. The article of  claim 14 , further comprising instructions causing the machine to receive the policy at the agent from a user interface. 
     
     
       19. The article of  claim 14 , wherein the instructions causing the machine to allow access to the disk device from the container comprises allowing access to the disk device from the container using the agent as an agent in a commodity storage element.